Much ado about nothing

Submitted by Yoel Larry (United States), Dec 28, 2013 at 19:10

As a long time jazz fan and musician, you've made way too much of any Trifling connection between bebop jazz and Islam. After all we're talking about a very few blacks who May have seen being a Muslim more as a political statement. In the spirit of Vietnam and civil Rights movements in the late 50's and 60's black anger was often expressed outright As a rejection of middle class white culture. What better way for some 'non conforming' blacks to Register anger than by rejecting the 'white man's' religion. Not to mention the black Muslim movement at the time, Malcolm X, and Louis FarakkhAn.

So, a handful Of black jazz musicians got swept up in the black anger of the times. What of it? Dozens of other black jazz artists did not.

Finally, I venture that most of the few Calling themselves 'Muslim' were mostly making a political statement. Charlie 'Yardbird' Parker a Muslim? Ha ha!

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".